All about Air Conditioning Systems

When you search for a new home, you are very likely to look at many old houses within your price range. If you have finally settled on and purchased a home, you may unfortuntealy discover many unusual problems with your home after you have moved in, including problems with the drains and the plumbing. Here are some signs that your “new” house may have a major plumbing issue. Flies and More Flies When a house sits idle on the market for a very long time and it is devoid of human life the entire time, you may suddenly discover that the residents in the house during this period were all flies. Sewer flies and drain flies to be exact. Drain flies are also known as “fruit flies” because they are drawn to rotting and decaying things, which can be residual stuff left behind by the previous human occupants. Sewer flies are big flies that resemble house flies, except that they are drawn by the stink of sewer gases and bad plumbing. If you find that you have tons of microscopic flies moving about, or that you have big flies crowding your space and apparently emanating from a drain or base of a toilet, you have a sewer, plumbing and/or drain problem. Every Time You Flush, You Get Raw Sewage Back-Up Actually, it does not even have to be every time, but if you find that you have raw sewage backing up into your basement several times a week, that is definitely a sign of a plumbing/sewage problem. In houses that have sat idle for months, even years, there is no one there to flush the toilets and drains regularly. There is not a single person to do maintenance on the plumbing or perform drain cleanings either. These issues can also signal problems with tree roots that have grown into the pipes underground and choke off the flow. As such, stuff gets trapped in the lines and builds up a blockage only a plumber can remove. You Take a Shower and a Bath at the Same Time When you take a shower the first time in your new home, and the shower suddenly turns into a tub full of water around your knees, that is another sign of plumbing issues. The drain in the shower/tub is exceptionally slow to drain, meaning that you have a blockage or that something in the plumbing line disallows the continuous flow of water down the drain. Since nobody wants to take a bath and a shower at the same time, you should probably get a plumber to come take a look at the drains and plumbing in your new home. Talk with a professional plumber to find out more about these problems and what you can do to fix...

When you are a restaurant owner, there are numerous different tasks and issues that you need to worry about and deal with on a daily basis. However, as time goes on and you continue to go about your daily life running your restaurant, you may begin to notice that the place could use a little bit of refreshing. After all, restaurant guests often get tired of the same-old, same-old, and want a place that looks and feels fresh and current. If you are looking for ways that you can spruce up your restaurant, get to know some of the steps that you can take to do so. Then, you can get started making your changes as soon as possible. Repaint Your Interiors Or Exteriors One of the best ways to spruce up your restaurant is by repainting either the interior walls, exterior walls, or both. The color scheme that you use and the freshness of the paint job in your restaurant can make all the difference in the world to your regular patrons and new patrons alike. Hire commercial painting contractors from a company like APC Services of New England to update and upgrade your paint jobs. For the exterior, choose something bright and clean that will make passersby take notice and want to check out your establishment. For the interiors, set the tone with bold and rich colors. If you are going for a romantic vibe, choose deep reds, maroons, or even shades of silver and gray. For a fun, family-friendly ambiance, choose bright primary colors or vibrant blues and greens to make the space feel fun and welcoming. Have New Menus Printed Another way that you can spruce up your restaurant to keep things fresh and interesting is to update your menus. Even if you are not changing the dishes offered at your establishment, changing up your menu can help to keep things current and keep your regulars on their toes. New menus can set a different tone for your restaurant in numerous ways. You can change the color scheme, which is a similar ambiance change to repainting your restaurant. You can also change the font. A simple font change can take your restaurant from feeling playful and whimsical to elegant and classy. Adding pictures or removing pictures entirely so that the menu descriptions speak for themselves can also change the overall tone of your dining establishment. With these tips in mind, you can begin the process of sprucing up your restaurant and ensuring that you keep your dining establishment running smoothly and drawing in as many new customers as possible on a regular...

Posted by Raymond Jones on Nov 1, 2016 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Learning More About Sump Pumps And Conquering A Wet Basement

While many houses do not have issues with flooding or constantly wet basements, many others out there do have problems with damaging levels of water retention and moisture in their basements. Controlling flooding and water retention can be challenging, but it can be done for protecting the interior of your home from problems like mold, mildew and expensive water damage repairs. Learn how sump pump installation can help you maintain a drier basement. When It Is Time To Invest In A Sump Pump If you can go into your basement and see an inch of water on your floor, you need a sump pump. Bear in mind that moisture is always present in many basements, but when there is standing water, the chances are higher for damaging flooding to occur. Any time you find standing water in your basement, investing in a sump pump is a good idea. A sump pump works by sitting in a specially designed pit. Some water will always be in the pit, but when the water in the pit rises past a certain level, the pump automatically flips on and begins pumping the water out of your basement to an area away from your home, keeping your basement drier. Hiring a professional contractor for installing your home’s sump pump is advised if you have never installed one before. Visit a site like http://www.rite-waywaterproofing.com for more info. Making Sure Your Sump Pump Is Always Ready To Pump Taking the time to ensure your sump pump is working is a good idea. Providing simple maintenance can help you remain worry free during heavy rains and flooding. Make sure your sump pump’s battery backup is always charged and in good condition. A dead battery will be no use to you when the power gets knocked during a bad storm and your basement is flooding from heavy rains. Also, test your pump by pouring enough water into its pit to trigger its pumping action. If the pump does not come on when you add enough water, check the power going to it first. Remember, the backup battery will need to be removed before adding water during test checks so you will know if the power source is causing issues. Common Pump Issues To Know About Most of the time, your newly installed sump pump will operate without any problems. However, if it does not operate properly, you could be seeing one of a few common issues with sump pumps like a stuck float valve or a failed check valve. Contacting a professional for making repairs to your sump pump is a good idea if you have frequent wet basement issues. Taking steps to keep your basement dry is a vital part of your home maintenance. While dealing with basement flooding can be frustrating, knowing you have a reliable sump pump on the job can help to give you peace of mind about...

Installing new windows in your home is obviously a huge investment, so you want to make sure you choose the perfect product. When choosing the products, you not only need to consider the style, you also need to consider if it fits with your personal requirements. That is, will you be able to properly maintain it? For instance, many people love the style of wooden windows, but don’t have the time or desire to properly maintain them over the years. Usually, they end up regretting investing in such a high maintenance product. If you are more interested in a low maintenance window material, you should consider fiberglass. This article explains a few differences between fiberglass and wooden windows when it comes to style, long-term maintenance and cleaning. Fiberglass is Surprisingly Stylish First of all, most people will think that wooden windows are more stylish. It is hard to argue this, especially when you consider the fact that many fiberglass windows are actually made with fake wooden prints. You obviously don’t see any wooden windows that are made with fake fiberglass textures. Of course, the real product will always look better than the invitation. That being said, fiberglass windows with fake wooden prints are surprisingly convincing. Not only do they have multiple colors, they also have textures that replicate actual wood grain. In reality, most people will be able to tell that they are not made of real wood when they are looking up close. However, from far away, a fiberglass window with a fake wooden print and texture will probably be able to perfectly match actual wooden elements on your exterior. For instance, you can match the color and style of your wooden roofline. In the end, real wood might be more stylish, but it is certainly not more practical. Maintaining Windows Owning and maintaining wooden windows requires you to invest more time and money into maintenance. Fiberglass windows can be easily cleaned by just wiping them down with a wet rag or sponge. In fact, you can even clean them on the outside by just spraying them down with a hose. Since fiberglass is perfectly waterproof, you don’t need to worry about water damage. You also don’t need to worry about termite damage. You need to make painstaking efforts to ensure that wooden windows are constantly sealed to protect against moisture. Applying a new coat of wood sealant can be a time consuming project. If you neglect it, your windows can become leaky, loud, inefficient and fragile. Even though fiberglass is much more practical, many homeowners will still choose the style and classic look of wooden windows. If you’re willing to do the upkeep, it is definitely a great option. For more information, contact companies like Weather-Tek Home Remodeling...

Posted by Raymond Jones on Sep 28, 2016 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on If Your Home Smells Like Sewer Gas, Does That Mean You Have A Sewer Backup?

Smelling a sewer gas smell in your home can be disturbing, but it may not be a sign of a sewer backup. In fact, there’s a good chance that a sewer gas smell in your home will have a simple solution. If your home smells like sewer gas, does that mean you have a sewer backup? Not necessarily. If you look under your kitchen sink, you’ll likely see an S-shaped curve in the pipes connected to the drain. This curve is called a P-trap. The P-trap contains water that is refreshed every time you drain water out of the sink. The water in the P-trap creates a seal between the sewer and the rest of your home, thus preventing sewer gas from rising into your kitchen. If you were to go a long time without using your kitchen sink, the water in the P-trap would evaporate and you would smell sewer gas. Most people use their kitchens frequently enough to keep refreshing the water in the sink’s P-trap. However, if you’re smelling sewer gas in your house, this could be happening elsewhere in your home in a drain that isn’t getting used very frequently. What can you do to get rid of the sewer gas smell? Start by pouring water down all your home’s drains, including seldom used drains in the basement floor and drains in your basement bathroom (if you have one). Check the toilets, as well. If there’s a toilet in a spare bedroom that rarely gets used, try flushing the toilet one or twice to move water through the fixture and its pipes. Once this is done, open all your windows and run fans to clear the air. If doing this doesn’t get rid of the sewer gas smell, does that mean that you have a sewer backup? It’s possible. There are several warning signs of a sewer backup that you should be aware of: Slow drains throughout the house. Strange gurgling noises in the drains. Smell of raw sewage in your home’s drains. Water flushed down one drain appears in another fixture (example: water flushed down the toilet shows up in the bathtub). Multiple toilets in your home always seem to be clogged. If you’re struggling with one or more of the above problems, talk to a reputable plumber like First Class Plumbing of Florida Inc. He or she can help you determine whether or not your home’s sewers are...

Posted by Raymond Jones on Sep 7, 2016 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Two Points to Consider When Selecting a New Hot-Water Heater

Water heaters may operate silently in the background, but they are a very important appliance nonetheless. When you are installing a new hot-water heater, it is imperative that you make your selection wisely. You can expect issues like increased operating costs or limited hot water access if you fail to choose your new unit appropriately. Availability Make sure you aren’t overlooking availability in terms of access to hot water. The two most common availability options are storage-tank and tankless-operated systems. Storage-tank heaters keep a certain amount of hot water in reserve for you to use whenever you need it, as the water is preheated. Although it would seem that this type of availability would ensure you always had access to hot water, the opposite is often true, especially if you live in a large home. Once the hot water in the reserve tank has been used, you will have to wait for more hot water to be generated before you have access to it. Opposite from this style is the tankless heater. Tankless water heaters don’t store heated water. Instead, the water is heated as needed or on demand. Since only the water you actually need to use is heated, this heater is the most efficient option, and you can almost guarantee you will have access to hot water whenever you need it. Advanced Technology Many water heaters are very similar, but their advanced technology can set them apart. Try to look for units with built-in fire protection and intuitive temperature settings. Fire protection is a critical safety feature. Units are equipped with a heating element that must be submerged by water at all times. If there is a malfunction that is preventing water from entering into the unit correctly, the element could burn out, causing an internal fire or even a home fire. The fire-protection feature automatically shuts down the heating element whenever there is an absence of water so that you can avoid this concern. The intuitive temperature feature is designed to alter the temperature of the water based on your usage patterns. For example, if you have a storage tank and rarely use all the water inside it, the heater would automatically stop filling the tank to capacity. This type of feature doesn’t just save on energy; it can also extend the lifespan of the unit. Make sure you are choosing your unit wisely. A professional installer such as Towers-Murray Plumbing Co Inc can assist you with this...

If the gaps surrounding your home’s windows aren’t properly insulated and cold air filters into your home on nights when it is chilly outside, remove the wood casings that surround them and apply an even layer of foam insulation in each gap. After finishing, your home’s interior will be more energy efficient and you will remain comfortable on frigid nights. Materials hammer power drill pry bar putty knife bottle of soapy water scrub brush sponge towel face mask rubber gloves can of foam insulation utility knife Loosen And Remove The Wood Casing And Eliminate Old Insulation Use the claw on the back of a hammer or power drill to remove hardware that is attached to each window casing. Remove the wood casing by inserting the tip of a pry bar under the edges of each piece. Once the wood is loose, pull the casings away from the wall. Put on rubber gloves and a face mask to prevent being exposed to chemicals that the insulation is made out of. Inspect the gaps that run around each windowpane and remove old insulation from all of them with a putty knife. If some of the insulation is difficult to remove, rub it firmly with a soapy scrub brush. Once all of the old insulation has been removed and disposed of, eliminate soapy residue from each gap’s interior with a damp sponge. Dry each clean surface with a towel. Apply An Even Layer Of Insulation Fill the gaps halfway with an even layer of spray insulation. Use a type of insulation that is designed for use around windows and doors. This variety is formulated to expand with less force than standard types of insulation. As a result, you will not need to worry about damage to the casings or windows. The insulation that was applied will expand within a few minutes. Once this occurs, reattach the window casings by lining them up next to the sides of each window and securing them with pieces of hardware. Remove Excess Insulation If you applied too much insulation to any of the gaps and you see that it is seeping through the edges of the casing pieces, wait for the insulation to cure before removing it, which may take several hours. Use a utility knife to remove the excess pieces of insulation. The foam insulation that you applied will help keep your utility bill down and help you remain comfortable on a daily...

When it comes to the age-old “battle of the sexes,” even the A/C thermostat can become a battlefield. In the office during the summertime, you may have noticed your female colleagues bundling up while your male colleagues shed their suit jackets. At home, your significant other might have different ideas about how cold is too cold. As it turns out, there are plenty of good reasons why women might find the A/C a bit too cold for their tastes. It’s All About Biology Temperature differences between men and women can be traced back to the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR). When compared with men of similar height and weight, women have a BMR that’s 5 to 10 percent lower. This is due to men having more muscle mass than women, which usually requires more calories burnt at rest just to sustain those muscles. Despite carrying more fat than men on average, differences in fat layer distribution also account for how differently women respond to temperatures and air conditioning. It’s these biological differences that make a difference in how men and women have differing levels of comfort in air-conditioned spaces. Air Conditioning Standards are Biased Towards Men There’s another surprising reason why women often feel colder than men in air-conditioned spaces. The standards commonly used for calculating heating and cooling needs in offices and other buildings are largely biased towards men. An overwhelming majority of buildings throughout the globe have their climate control systems design based on standards developed as far back as the 1960s. Although the standards take into account various aspects of human physiology including BMR, these standards are based on the physiology of a 40-year-old man weighing about 154 pounds, according to Time Magazine. With male comfort being the only model for A/C design, it’s little wonder that many women find themselves being given the cold shoulder in terms of A/C usage. How Cold is Too Cold for Women? Time Magazine also found that women preferred an office environment with indoor temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. However, most offices hover between 70 and 73 degrees — the optimal temperature for the typical office environment, according to most experts. Unfortunately, this optimal temperature may not be so optimal for female office workers. Recent research from Cornell University backs up women’s desire for a warmer workplace. In this study, researchers found that increasing office temperatures from 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit helped boost productivity and reduce typing errors among subjects. Visit a website like http://aaaeinc.com/ for more...

Posted by Raymond Jones on Jul 14, 2016 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on 3 Things To Find Out Before Renting Heavy Construction Equipment For Your Business

Whether you work in the construction industry and are looking for equipment for an upcoming project, or if you are in any other type of business and are thinking about renting heavy rental equipment for some other purpose, there are a few things that you will need to find out first. Make sure that you check on these things before contacting the equipment rental company to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible. 1. Will Your Business Insurance Cover It? The rental company that you rent the equipment from should have insurance coverage to protect the equipment itself. However, unless you opt for additional coverage (which the rental company may or may not offer), your employees and property probably will not be covered. Before taking a risk and tackling the project without this coverage — and before potentially spending the money for expensive coverage through the rental company — it’s smart to check with your own business insurance agent to see if your policy provides this coverage. 2. How Long Will You Realistically Need the Equipment? It might seem like a good idea to just “wing it” when you rent the equipment, since you might not be sure how long you will need it. However, many companies offer both daily and weekly rates, and you will often pay less per day if you rent by the week. This isn’t helpful if you’re only going to need the equipment for a day or two, but if you are going to have it for longer than that, you might save money by renting by the week. This is why it’s smart to go ahead and really put some thought into how long you’ll need the equipment to help you make the right rental choice. 3. How Will You Get it To Your Place of Business? Another thing to consider is how you will transport the equipment to your place of business. If you have the right equipment to haul it yourself, you may want to do so to save on the delivery fee. If you don’t have the right equipment to get the job done, however, you may want to make arrangements with the rental company to have it delivered. This may take time, so it’s probably something that you will want to figure out and contact the rental company about at least a few days before you will need the...

Posted by Raymond Jones on Jun 29, 2016 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Dealing With Juglone Toxicity In Your Soil From A Black Walnut Tree

Black walnuts are a stately tree prized for their valuable lumber and plentiful walnut production, but they can also pose a problem when landscaping or for households with children and pets. Thanks to a unique survival adaptation, these trees leach a toxic substance known as juglone into the soil, and it can also accumulate in the leaves, bark and hulls of their fruit. Typically, you can work around the toxic tendencies of black walnut trees through some careful landscaping. But if you have a small yard, curious children or animals prone to browsing on nearby plants, it may be best to remove the tree entirely. Understanding Juglone Toxicity Juglone is a natural chemical compound that inhibits metabolic growth in plant cells, and it has been shown to possibly cause cellular deterioration and death in human cells as well. Black walnuts release juglone through their roots to discourage plant competition in their immediate area, increasing their own odds of survival, and walnut leaves have traditionally been used as an herbicide because of this chemical. Although juglone is typically not an immediate health concern for humans, it can cause vomiting and neurological problems in dogs and other animals such as horses. Landscaping With Juglone-Resistant Plants If you have a relatively small space to work with while landscaping, a black walnut tree can pose a significant problem for any plants you try to grow. Because walnut tree roots can spread both wide and deep, the older the tree, the greater the radius of toxicity surrounding it. You can, however, ameliorate the problem somewhat by choosing plants that are naturally resistant to juglone, such as hostas or vegetables like beans, beets and carrots. Vegetables in the nightshade family like tomatoes, peppers and potatoes are all particularly susceptible to juglone and should be avoided. Removing The Black Walnut Tree And Roots If your black walnut tree is interfering too much with your landscaping or resident animals, you may be forced to remove it to salvage the rest of your yard. Removing a black walnut tree is a fairly straightforward process, but in order to eliminate the juglone entirely, your tree removal service will need to remove as much of the roots as possible, since they can still produce juglone for some time after death. With a comprehensive removal and enough time for pre-existing juglone to be flushed from your soil, you should find that your yard is much more hospitable to your gardening and landscaping efforts, and you can rest easy knowing that you no longer have a toxic compound lurking beneath your feet every time you go outside. For more information or advice on how to handle a problem with a black walnut tree, talk to a tree removal service in your...

About

Hello. My name is Raymond Jones. I've been installing and helping folks maintain their air conditioning for decades. I finally figures out how to use this internet thing, so I thought I would share some of my experience in the air conditioning business. Thanks for reading!